


Things We Love

by XxDeva1PathxX



Category: own work - Fandom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-07-31
Packaged: 2018-12-09 04:51:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11661999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XxDeva1PathxX/pseuds/XxDeva1PathxX
Summary: Just a series of short story drabbles with my OC's.





	1. Chapter 1

Today was supposed to be the best day of my life, I think.

I slipped into the back seat of my father’s car, buckling myself up and leaning away from the car door. It didn’t slam shut. Instead, it was closed with a steady and careful hand.

“All buckled up, kiddo?” My father asked when he got in, turning back to glance at me.

He had a nice shirt on today. It was white with no stains on it, and he had actually brushed his hair out that morning.

I nodded in response to his question, mumbling a quiet, “yes sir” when he turned back to eye me again.

“Alright! Let’s get going then!” He started the car, backing out of the driveway before heading south.

The drive was quiet, and I squirmed uncomfortably in my seat when my father started to talk.

“So, you excited?” He asked, grinning at me in the mirror.

I nodded.

“Well it’s just you and me today, kiddo. Your big sister’s afraid of the ocean or some shit. I think. What do you wanna do when we get there?” He was cheerful, his voice higher pitched than normal.

“I don’t know...” I said. “I’m sorry..”

There was a pause and I heard him inhale.

“That’s okay, kiddo!” He said, after a tense moment of silence. “Did I ever even tell you where we’re going?”

“No, but that’s okay.” I said. “Please don’t worry about it..”

“Oh.” He frowned to himself before resuming that awkward cheeriness. “Well it’ll be a surprise then! You like surprises.”

I don’t.

I sat there, my legs and back getting stiff, as we continued to drive for another hour. When he finally parked, I got out, standing and stretching my sore legs, hoping that I wouldn’t have to sit so still on the way back.

“Ta-da!” He announced loudly, startling the family that had parked next to us. “It’s the fucking uh... water zoo! What’s that called? Fish tanks?”

“Oh... The aquarium.” I smiled a little at him, watching my father bounce around the car like he was the kid. “I uhm. I love aquariums.”

“See? Told you.” He said, taking my hand and pulling me towards the entrance. “You used to say you wanted to come here as a kid. Bothered the shit out of me.”

“Dad, you’re hurting me.” I said quietly, my eyebrows drawing together as he tightened his grip. 

He pressed forward through the line, cutting off other families and dragging me along with him. He didn’t let go of my hand until we were inside the aquarium, dim lights and watery reflections making it hard to see.

“Where do you wanna go first, kiddo?” He asked me, motioning around him. “Anywhere you want.”

I looked around me, whipping my head back and forth so fast that I made myself dizzy. There was water everywhere - and giant fish that opened their mouths as they pressed against the glass, hungry and searching. There were too many things at once, too many people, and I clapped my hands over my ears as a screaming group of kids on a school tour passed us.

“Hey, bud, are you okay?” My father gently grabbed my hands, pulling them away from my ears with some effort.

“I’m okay. I’m okay.” I said. “Can we, um.. Can we go to the jellyfish first? Is that okay? Less people...”

He grinned at that, perking up immediately and taking my hand again. Running his finger over the paper map, he tapped on the number “4”.

“This way kiddo.”

The jellyfish were all lazy and small, floating aimlessly in their tanks of water. They bumped into each other, making me giggle, and pressed against the glass. They were relaxing, and just as lost as I was. I think they were looking at me. Can jellyfish see? It would be so sad if they can’t.

I asked for the tropical fish next, and played a secret game of hide and seek with a dull-colored clown fish that sat at the bottom of the tank. I ran around the tank in circles, chasing after it before my father told me that we should move on.

“Come on, kid. I’m getting bored of watching you run around and shit, and you’re bothering everyone else.” He said, his eyes rolling. “Just choose somewhere else to go and let’s go there. Jesus.”

It was a little selfish of me to ask if we could watch the whale show. We were on our way out, but I just wanted a bit longer before I had to go back to the house.  
The big beluga whale was so friendly that it swam right up to the side of the tank, her trainer encouraging us to pet her. She had drooping eyelids and scars running down her sides, and as she flipped onto her side to wave my heart broke. 

“Go on! Lola is a nice girl, don’t be shy! Give her a pet!” The trainer said.

I let her swim by and gave her a smile instead, so she knew I wasn’t ignoring her. I think she’s tired of getting touched.

“Me too.” I whispered as she passed by.

At the end of the day, I was lead out of the aquarium with a big stuffed animal and a small bag of candy. I squeezed my arms around the beluga whale, smiling down at it.

“Have a nice day, kiddo?” My father asked, his grin still as wide as ever.

“Yeah!” I said. “Yeah, I loved the jellyfish. I loved Lola. And the-”

I bumped into a lady that was walking in my path and tripped, sending us both to the ground.

It was my fault, it’s always my fault. I should have been looking, I shouldn’t have taken my eyes off of what was in front of me. God, I’m so useless, annoying, annoying annoying annoy... I ruined this day for him.

“Oh my gosh, are you okay?” She asked, untangling herself and her bags from me. “Oh, poor little thing..”

“Jesus fucking Christ, Theo!”

The shout was loud and I scrunched my face up, bracing myself.

I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’msorry i’msorry imsorryimsorry...

“What the fuck were you thinking?! Look where you’re fucking walking! Jesus you’re a fucking trainwreck, I can’t take you anywhere!” The screaming was getting louder, and louder.

I started to shake, my eyes squeezed shut, and I could almost feel the hand that would be across my face in 3, 2, 1-

“What are you doing?!” The lady yelled right back, getting into my father’s face.

He backed down quickly, his eyes flickering down to look at the ground instead of at her.

“Fucking bitch.” He muttered, grabbing me and dragging me towards the exit. “Mind your own fucking business.”

I locked eyes with my big beluga whale plushie and watched as it got smaller and smaller until the crowd completely blocked it out.

I’m sorry, Little Lola.

When we got into the car, the door slammed shut next to me. I managed to buckle myself in by the time he was out of the parking lot.

Halfway home, he turned slightly to look at me.

“Sorry.” He said, his tone short and clipped. “You made me yell again. Didn’t mean to.”

“It’s okay. I’m sorry for ruining it..” I said, trying to smile at him. “Uhm. Thanks for taking me out today anyways.”

“Yeah.” He turned back around. “And uh. About what happened last night? It won’t happen again, I promise.”

“Okay. Don’t worry about it Dad.”

“..I love you, kiddo.”

“I love you too.”

“Did you have a good time before..you know..?” He asked me, his voice sounding hopeful.

“Yeah.” I said. “Yeah. I’ve always wanted to go to an aquarium. Thanks, Dad.”

“Good! I’ll get you a new stuffed animal.” He promised, quickly cheering up again.

As we kept driving, I turned to look out the window and watch the traffic go by. It was quiet, kind of peaceful, and I closed my eyes, imagining what it would be like to be in one of those other cars. We didn’t talk for the rest of the drive home.

I didn’t mention that it was my sister who liked aquariums.


	2. OC Drabbles

Four wakes up every morning to someone that kisses his cheek and feeds him breakfast. He finds himself surrounded by people who care, people who react with patience as soon as he curls himself up in fear. He doesn’t have to wonder if his dad loves him, it’s evident in the smiles and praises he gets every day. He doesn’t have to wonder if anyone loves him at all, and if the worry ever presents itself there is always someone to reassure him that he’s cared about. Nightmares of hands that grab him and rip him to pieces still keep him up at night, but he knows that he doesn’t have to be scared of the people who took him from his dad in the first place. He won’t be taken like that again.

Luca wakes up every morning to make breakfast for the people he’s surrounded himself with. He no longer has to fight and growl and bare his teeth against someone he was made for; he has fought for his home and he deserves it now. He still kicks Madsie as soon as he sees Four look upset at something Madsie said, but he smiles when Madsie apologizes. King George shows him secrets and small things, letting him slip in and out of adventures and safe worlds that he longs to see. He feels happy, and sometimes he doesn’t, but then he always has someone to listen and hold him when he doesn’t know if it’s working anymore.

Madsie surrounds himself with booze and friends, slipping away to his quiet piece of the world when it’s too much for him. He can be stronger than most, laughing at the most inappropriate of times, but some days he grows quiet. On these days, he reminds himself that he’s the cause of Four’s panic attacks, and some days he blames other people. When it gets overwhelming, the guilt and the anger, he goes to Vera and holds her close. Pictures of them together, holding hands and causing trouble, soothes his heartache and they cuddle up to quietly heal. When he’s ready, he returns to a loving family who all think that he’s one of the best people in the world. Sometimes he believes that.

Vera spends her days drifting between nothingness and sorrow. She’s the happiest she thinks she could be, everyone she’s ever loved fitting right into her world. Captain kisses her cheek and reminds her that she’s important, rolling his eyes when she claims that she can cook breakfast that morning. Vale, such a sweet thing, tends to the gardens and gives her soft words of encouragement that she can just barely remember from their childhood. Her children are all around her, more than she could have hoped for, and she feels a stab of sorrow when she remembers each of her lost babies’ names and faces. She’s growing, and she’s healing, but sometimes she’s the one who needs Madsie. She curls up in his arms and pretends that she’s a little girl again, Madsie holding her away from anything that might hurt her.

Captain spends his time causing mischief and slight panic. He laughs when people startle and get tricked by his pranks, but most of the time he’s harmless. He comes home to family, Vera doing something stupid that makes him smile, Vale cooking up a dinner that is suited to his small appetite. His kids are all happy to see him, Lily not holding back her enthusiasm and him catching her when she runs at him. He spoils each and every one of them, Vera and Vale both getting something nice when the kids are put to bed, and only sometimes does he fear the whispers of doubt. There are scars running down his back and thighs, brand marks on his body and soul, and he doesn’t know if these 20 years are enough to heal the 300 he spent loving and hating the man that caused him so much pain. But Vera kisses his neck and makes her own mark there, reminds him that he doesn’t have to heal but she’s there anyways, and he does the same to her.

Vale is all sweet words and feelings, wrapping himself up in plants and daisies. He lets himself daydream of nice things, unaware of most people’s unhappiness, and cooks dinner for a family that he thinks is perfect. He knows enough, he knows that something makes Vera and Captain talk softly into the night when one of them can’t sleep, and he knows what it means when Madsie shows up more drunk than usual on their doorstep. He doesn’t know how hard Vera and Captain fight to keep the truth from him, to keep him happy and soft against the world that hurt the both of them beyond reason. He doesn’t know these things, and stays happy for the two of them who need him to be.

Henry doesn’t know where to start with his apologies. He’s not quite sure if he’ll actually get the courage to start. There are so many things to say, to so many different people, so he just pretends that he doesn’t feel enough guilt to bother. He spends his nights staring up at the sky, aware of Aubri who stares back sometimes. Thinking of Captain depresses him on good days, but cheers him up on bad ones. He is content with what he has; he wouldn’t want anything else, right? He conjures up lights for Lillith on nights she can’t sleep, and pets her hair when she’s too afraid to try. There are lights for everyone, if need be, and sometimes he thinks that he could be content with this.

Business Madsie does not wake up to anything. Insomnia is one hell of a disease, and he pretends that he is sick, not that he just doesn’t want to sleep. He avoids Vera at all costs because you can’t miss what you never had in the first place, right? But he lets himself have glimpses of the joy that he could have had, and spoils Lillith in her place. He keeps himself busy, beyond busy, and tries not to let himself think for more than a second. He looks at Lillith, looks at her family, and feels like he actually belongs with them. On good days, drinking is for fun.

Lillith is so important. This is something that she needs to hear, but doesn’t hear enough. God, she is so important. She is made of only broken hearts and half assed attempts at happiness. She sees Captain, watches him smile at people that aren’t her, and trades little secrets about him with Henry. Their heart breaks at the same time when Lily gets Captain’s smiles instead, and they don’t need to whisper about it because they just know. Lillith lays her head down on the lap of a man who should terrify her and finds that it’s the only place she can sleep.


	3. Madsie Drabble

He was lucky.

That’s what anyone would tell him right now. He was born into a good family with a decent future laid out for him. He had potential and the means to get himself anywhere he wanted to.

He was lucky.

Madsie didn’t believe in luck. Things were handed to you or you fought like hell to get them. You weren’t lucky. He was tired of people telling him how lucky he was; what a wasted opportunity he was. He wasn’t lucky.

His sister didn’t help matters. After being separated in foster care, she ended up with a decent family and clawed her way to the top. Her success, and his relative failure, just showed the world how much potential he could have had.

A druggy, addicted to alcohol and sex, addicted to blood and the dangers of dark alleys; these were all things that described Madsie now. Not a little kid, not the good, responsible big brother. Useless.

His sister, they said, was lucky. He had wasted his luck. You could find him dealing strange things to stranger people, things that nobody in their right mind would want, but had some value to those who knew what to look for.

Monkey paws and human hair littered the shop that he worked at. He sold odd trinkets, strange things that would pull the most ordinary person into a world that lurked just below the surface of theirs. He was the doorway, the gatekeeper, to the things that people chose to be oblivious of.

Dark things would follow him wherever he went. Kidnappings, disease, strange animals that would howl outside of windows at night. He kept his chin up and his hands in his pockets, fidgeting with whatever item he would try to pawn off that night.

Eventually, his success mirrored that of his sister’s but in a much darker way. He killed those that he believed to be at the top, securing his place among those who chose to deal with the darker side of things. His kids needed a safe world to live in. If all they had to fear was the strange man that loved them; well, they were lucky after all.

Madsie struggled with whatever was occupying the underground world at the time. It fell to him to keep the carefully spun balance, as every good king does. He delivered punishments and rewards to those who deserved them, and was both feared and respected. A demon, they called him. Dark as night with a heart of coal to match.

But if you were to find him here, standing under a tree and staring at the night sky, he would be more human than the ones who had pledged their loyalty to him. His power, the fire that burned its way through his veins and out of his palms, was borrowed. The price to pay was something he had not yet faced. There were many more people below him, people who thought him to be the devil himself, who were greater than him in power without a nice debt to match.

If you were to find him, alone, then be wary. He will draw you in, tell you sweet lies and smile as though you were what he was waiting for all along. He will speak nothing of his children, of the woman who steals his every breath when she kisses him. You will be his for that night, and perhaps forever, just like everyone else beneath him. He will whisper in your ear and you will think yourself lucky.

Only in the morning, when he stands above you (the woman at his side, always at his side), will you realize that there is no such thing as luck. There are those who fight for what they have, and as he takes what he needs from you (one life down, so many more to go to repay his debt) he will tell you this.

The woman will laugh, holding onto his arm and mocking you for believing his lies, for thinking that he could love anyone but her. He will smile at you, gentle and demeaning at the same time, and tell you that it’s alright; your life will be used for something great.

They will leave you, cold and sticky with blood, as they move onto their next target; choosing the lives of thousands over the lives of his two sons. They are lucky.

He is lucky.


End file.
